September 26-30

I absolutely admit to being a garage sale lover. We found a game AND a recorder book… which only makes sense when you realize I bought recorders this summer and intent to start music next year!

We also found an early deal on snowpants at Sam’s Club! 15.00 for 60.00 children’s snowpants. THANK YOU! At the time only Emanuel was with us so we snapped them up for him. I should say, was the only kid with us that needs them. Once I find the winter coat bucket the girls are only down boots. Of course with all the sorting of things I am unclear WHERE that bucket is (fingers crossed the weather holds until I find it!).

We are still totally missing the sidewalk we always had wherever we lived in Alberta… road safety has become paramount as has Mommy’s obsession with watching how fast people drive down our street and at what times. We don’t do too badly but it seems some evenings the speeders come out to play.

On Saturday we had our numbers swelled to 9 kids! Jeffrey and Evan with big brother Nathan joined us for half the day or so while mommy was away at quilting class and daddy out hunting. The kids love having them over. Echo and Evan are best friends and the twins and Nathan are always off playing leaving the rest of us to enjoy wee Jeffrey.

Sunday was Sunday school and probably one of our last chances for shorts and pretty jackets. Where has the season gone??

We set the kids to work prepping our garden fresh carrots as well. I love how our canning and freezing have become a family activity.

Our big excitement for Monday was a visit over at Aunty Judy’s and Uncle Jim’s… or as the kids call it – Robbie’s house! Any excuse is a good one for a visit and this time our visit was based on Emanuel selling his wreaths for Scouts. He has done quite well doing so. So many lovely friends and family willing to help us out with our first real experience with fund raising.

Add in school and such to our week and that is the end of September! Our October is shaping up to be a month of Halloween learning. Lapbooks, stories and crafting I plan. So be sure to check up while I recount that… hopefully in a more TIMELY manner!!! I simply MUST get the blog up to date!

So I MEANT to post this the day after Halloween but got knocked out by some sort of mutant plague the kids and their Baba felt they just HAD TO share with me… so please enjoy (a week+ late) our costume fun!!!!

Youngest to oldest…. Echo’s was an easy choice. The dress was one of the super pretties that Grandma had given us before we moved down from Canada. It finally fits, all beads and lace. For photos only I paired it up with my original veil for a bride picture or two.

Then it was on with the crown for a very pleased princess.

And wings for a fairy.

Day of we paired it all up with her big sister’s church coat. Our very own snow princess!!!

Miss Trinity was one we had been thinking about since LAST Halloween… the Disney version of Alice in Wonderland. With her lovely long blonde hair and the addition of some black shoes and a black hair ribbon the costume we bought online suited PERFECTLY! We had to adjust the apron as apparently a little girl needs a MASSIVE apron but that was a quick fix.

Emanuel was our big build of the year. One that Ken took on HIMSELF! I am so pleased with how healthy he has gotten… old Kenny would have NEVER done such a thing. Emanuel chose to be a Minecraft Squid and Ken completely copied the head piece pixel by pixel using cardboard and paint.

What a success!!! Time consuming but a huge success. And a huge number of people recognized it right away!!!

Mr. Gavin was a bit of a struggle. He changed what he wanted to be a couple of times but settled on a traditional ghost… with a pirate sword. So Ken (again!!) made a lovely scabbard out of duct tape and I sewed a toque to the sheet to keep it steady. Rather awesome.

Even Zander’s costume has a bit of a story. Originally he was supposed to be a ninja as a repeat runner but on our costume odyssey for the rest we came across a Dominoes shirt. Gavin hemmed and hawed but turned down the idea… it was not until we were walking in the door from shopping that Zander FINALLY spoke up and said that HE wanted to be the Dominoes delivery man. So the next day we had to make a running trip BACK to Goodwill hoping to find the shirt still there. Then a couple days before Halloween Ken called Dominoes and was able to get us a small pizza box to finish off the costume! Not bad not bad!!!

We heard about free ice cream(frozen custard) at Culver’s if you show up in costume so we doubly spoiled the kids with the very rare DINNER out as well! They have some super yummy burgers there.

Our plans, as usual, had us meet up at the Novak’s for trick or treating. It was a brisk day and we had a third family with us. We were out about 2 hours (less than last year).

But our haul was huge!

And we ended the evening with a nice long visit with the Novaks. Halloween well spent!!!

Sorry about the massive pictures but we had a great time!

And then there were two readers… for this second installment just Gavin and I read the book. This time a digital read again we took turns and I think I can safely say BOTH found enjoyment in the tale.

Surprise Island by Gertrude Chandler Warner brings us to an all new summer adventure for the 4 boxcar children. This time one that their gentle grandfather has planned out for them on an island his family owns. Again you have the 4 children off on their own for an extended period of time. This time, however, with much more supervision and provisions.

As with the other book in this series there is a mystery person in the form of an island handyman. There are some minor incidents of course but nothing hugely life endangering. Just moments of excitement!

I do love how this series has the children working on their own, creating and imagining with what they have. Definitely a series I will continue to suggest the kids read. You can read the first book review HERE.

But first, Gavin’s review:

It is a good story. It did not feel very long to me. I think 10 year old or old would enjoy reading it. Little kids would enjoy this if someone read it to them. I want to read more in the series. I like Watch the dog best because he does funny stuff. It was a funny book. There are lots of chapters.